Tilaka
Tilaka · tilaka, “the mark on the forehead”
Grammar: masculine and neuter noun: a mark on the forehead.
Meaning: the mark worn on the forehead in pūjā and in daily life.
In the scriptures: the Brahma Parva of the Bhavishya Purāṇa says that offering pūjā to Āditya and wearing his tilaka, and likewise offering pūjā to Vināyaka and wearing his tilaka, gives all siddhis (Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 23).
In the Tilaka-vrata of Caitra śukla pratipadā, after the pūjā of Saṃvatsara, one adorns the forehead with candana every day from that day on. Bhūtas, pretas, piśācas, grahas, ḍākinīs and enemies flee on seeing the tilaka. Queen Citralekhā always kept the vrata and put the tilaka on her forehead every day. Whoever came to insult her was overcome on seeing her tilaka, and the kiṅkaras of Dharmarāja turned back at the sight of it (Bhavishya Purāṇa, Uttara Parva, Chapter 8).
Related terms: Ūrdhvapuṇḍra · Candana · Pratipat
Sources
- Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapter 23; Uttara Parva, Chapter 8